ELECTRONIC ELEVATOR GUARD DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MONITORING A SET OF INTEGRITY STATES OF A PLURALITY OF ELEVATOR FEATURES

Abstract

An electronic elevator guard device that monitors a set of integrity states of a plurality of elevator features includes at least one sensor in an elevator and configured for monitoring at least a first of the integrity states and generating a first monitoring signal based on a sensed current status of the first integrity state. The guard device includes a questioning device having or communicating with a human-machine interface and configured for asking predetermined questions to a consulted person and for receiving the person's answers via the human-machine interface, the questions relating to at least a second of the integrity states, and generating a second monitoring signal based on at least one answer. The guard device includes an evaluation device configured for generating an overall monitoring signal based on the first and second monitoring signals and sending the overall signal to a remote recipient via a communication device.

Claims

1-14. (canceled)

15. An electronic elevator guard device for monitoring a set of integrity states of a plurality of elevator features of an elevator, the electronic elevator guard device comprising: a sensor installed in the elevator and adapted to monitor a first integrity state of the set of integrity states, the sensor generating a first monitoring signal based on a sensed current status of the first integrity state; a questioning device including or communicating with a human-machine interface and adapted to ask predetermined questions to a consulted person and to receive answers of the person via the human-machine interface, the questions relating to a second integrity state of the set of integrity states, the questioning device generating a second monitoring signal based on at least one of the answers, wherein the questioning device asks the questions at time intervals being longer than a predetermined minimum time interval; and an evaluation device connected to the sensor and to the questioning device, the evaluation device generating an overall monitoring signal based on the first monitoring signal and the second monitoring signal, the overall monitoring signal indicating a current safety status of the elevator.

16. The electronic elevator guard device according to claim 15 including a communication device connected to the evaluation device and adapted for sending signals to a remote recipient.

17. The electronic elevator guard device according to claim 16 wherein the communication device sends one of the signals related to the overall monitoring signal to the remote recipient.

18. The electronic elevator guard device according to claim 16 wherein the communication device sends a request signal to the remote recipient upon determining that the overall monitoring signal relates to a status of the set of integrity states requiring prompt inspection of an elevator function by a human inspector.

19. The electronic elevator guard device according to claim 15 wherein the evaluation device generates a specific overall monitoring signal in response to no answer to at least one of the questions being received for a predetermined period of time.

20. The electronic elevator guard device according to claim 15 wherein the questioning device generates the second monitoring signal based on a statistics analysis covering a plurality of the answers relating to a current status of the second integrity state.

21. The electronic elevator guard device according to claim 15 being adapted to initiate a reward action for the consulted person upon receiving one of the answers from the consulted person.

22. The electronic elevator guard device according to claim 15 being adapted to initiate a penalize action for the consulted person upon receiving one of the answers from the consulted person answer and determining that the one answer is incorrect.

23. The electronic elevator guard device according to claim 15 being adapted to identify an identity of the consulted person.

24. The electronic elevator guard device according to claim 15 wherein the human machine interface is a touchscreen for displaying the questions and receiving the answers via a manual touch-input.

25. The electronic elevator guard device according to claim 15 wherein the human machine interface is a speaker-microphone arrangement for outputting the questions as spoken language and receiving the answers via spoken language.

26. An elevator comprising the electronic elevator guard device according to claim 15 for monitoring the set of integrity states of the plurality of elevator features of the elevator.

27. The elevator according to claim 26 wherein the human machine interface is arranged at at least one of a waiting area in a floor next to a floor door of the elevator and an interior space within an elevator car of the elevator.

28. A method for monitoring a set of integrity states of a plurality of elevator features of an elevator, the method comprising the steps of: monitoring a first integrity state of one of the elevator features using a sensor installed in the elevator and generating a first monitoring signal based on a sensed current status of the first integrity state; asking predetermined questions to a consulted person and receiving answers to the questions from the person using a questioning device communicating with a human-machine interface, the questions relating to a second integrity state of another one of the elevator features, and generating a second monitoring signal based on at least one of the answers; and generating an overall monitoring signal based on the first monitoring signal and the second monitoring signal, the overall monitoring signal indicating a current safety status of the elevator.

29. An electronic elevator guard device for monitoring a set of integrity states of a plurality of elevator features of an elevator, the integrity states being related to a safety status of the elevator, the electronic elevator guard device comprising: at least one sensor installed in the elevator and adapted to monitor at least a first integrity state of the set of integrity states, the sensor generating a first monitoring signal based on a sensed current status of the first integrity state; a questioning device including or communicating with a human-machine interface and adapted to ask predetermined questions to a consulted person and for receiving answers of the person via the human-machine interface, the questions relating to a second integrity state of the set of integrity states, the questioning device generating a second monitoring signal based on at least one of the answers, wherein the questioning device asks the questions at time intervals being longer than a predetermined minimum time interval; and an evaluation device connected to the at least one sensor and the questioning device, the evaluation device generating an overall monitoring signal based on the first monitoring signal and the second monitoring signal, the overall monitoring signal indicating a current safety status of the elevator.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0051] FIG. 1 shows an elevator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0052] FIG. 2 shows a questioning device of an electronic elevator guard device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0053] The figures are only schematic and not to scale. Same reference signs refer to same or similar features.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0054] At least in some countries, an operator of an elevator is obliged to fulfil a plurality of tasks or duties in order to guarantee a safe operation of the elevator. Such tasks or duties may be defined in official regulations such as the German TRBS 3121. Conventionally, the tasks or duties are fulfilled by a mandated person generally referred to as an elevator guard. Such elevator guard has to monitor several integrity states of a plurality of elevator features on a regular basis. Such monitoring is generally required in addition to maintenance services to be provided by the producer of the elevator or its maintenance staff.

[0055] As proposed herein, the duties or tasks conventionally provided by the human elevator guard shall be provided at least in part or with the help, respectively, of a technical device, i.e. an electronic elevator guard device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0056] FIG. 1 shows an elevator 1 with an electronic elevator guard device 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0057] The elevator 1 comprises an elevator car 5 and a counterweight 7 suspended by several suspension traction members 9 such as ropes or belts. The suspension traction members 9 may be driven by a drive engine 11 positioned in an engine room 12, thereby displacing the car 5 and the counterweight 7 within an elevator shaft 8. An operation of the drive engine 11 and of other components such as an elevator car door 13 or elevator floor doors 15 may be monitored and/or controlled by an elevator control 17.

[0058] The electronic elevator guard device 3 comprises or communicates with a plurality of sensors 19. Each of the sensors 19 may monitor at least one integrity state of an elevator feature. Furthermore, the electronic elevator guard device 3 comprises a questioning device 21. The questioning device 21 comprises or communicates with a human machine interface (HMI) 23.

[0059] Some of the elevator guard's tasks or duties may be easily and/or economically be monitored using a single sensor 19 or a system of multiple sensors 19.

[0060] For example, checking whether or not the elevator car 5 is correctly prevented from moving as long as at least one of the floor doors 15 is not completely closed may be easily technically implemented using for example self-testing door switches 25 as sensors 19 at each of the floor doors 15. Similarly, whether or not a floor door 15 may be opened as long as the elevator car 5 is outside of an unlocking area of this door 15 may be tested by technical sensors 19 such as self-testing location sensors 27 arranged in the elevator shaft 8 and sensing a presence of the elevator car in a specific area of the shaft 8. Whether or not an emergency call device is correctly operable may also be automatically monitored using self-test sensors. Furthermore, whether or not a lighting of the elevator car 5 is operable may be easily monitored using for example a light sensor. As another example, whether or not the elevator car 5 may move as long as the elevator car door 13 is not fully closed may also be tested by sensors 19 such as an elevator car door switch 29. Finally, whether or not the elevator may provide for a required stopping accuracy at each of the various floors in a building may be tested using position-sensing sensors.

[0061] While there is a multiplicity of possible sensors 19 for monitoring specific elevator features with regard to their current integrity states, only some of these sensors 19 are indicated in FIG. 1.

[0062] While the electronic elevator guard device 3 comprises one or multiple sensors 19, each of the sensors 19 being configured for monitoring at least one of the integrity states of one elevator feature by technical means and preferably in an automated manner and generates at least one first monitoring signal based on such sensed current status of first integrity states, the electronic elevator guard device 3 further comprises the questioning device 21 for interacting with consulted persons via the human machine interface 23.

[0063] Such persons may be regular passengers of the elevator 1. Preferably, the consulted persons are specific persons such as for example specific tenants of a building served by the elevator 1, such specific persons for example having previously been selected and authorized for cooperating with the electronic elevator guard device 3.

[0064] The questioning device 21 generally comprises a memory with a set of questions stored therein. Such questions relate to at least one of second integrity states of an elevator feature. Particularly, the questions may relate to elevator features which may hardly or not economically be monitored on a purely technical basis but which may be easily monitored using human senses. Accordingly, the questioning device may ask the consulted person via its associated human machine interface by issuing at least one of a set of predetermined questions and waiting for the consulted person's answer. Based on such one or more answers to one or more questions, the questioning device 21 may generate a second monitoring signal.

[0065] For example, the questioning device may ask the consulted person whether one of the floor doors 15 is mechanically damaged. While mechanical damages to a door 15 may be difficult to recognize by simple sensors and may, at most, be detected technically using complicated expensive devices such as e.g. a camera including dedicated image processing capabilities, such mechanical damages may be relatively easy to be recognized by a person with his human senses, especially with his eyes and/or his tactile sense. The question to the consulted person may be asked for example via a human machine interface 23 being arranged in a waiting area 31 in a floor next to the floor door 15.

[0066] Similarly, a passenger being located in an interior space 33 of the elevator car 5 may be asked whether the car door 13 is mechanically damaged and/or whether walls of the elevator car 5 are mechanically damaged. Furthermore, in a specific case in which the elevator car 5 has no car door 13, a car passenger may be asked whether a wall of the elevator shaft 8 at an entrance side of the elevator car 5 is damaged.

[0067] As another option, the consulted person may be asked whether an access to the elevator shaft 8 is open, i.e. not blocked, and may be accessed securely. Furthermore, a passenger may be asked whether written indications concerning e.g. passenger evacuation at a main entrance are readable and up to date. Further questions may relate to whether an access to the engine 11 or the engine room 12 or an associated control device 17 is open, i.e. not blocked, and securely accessible and/or whether no items not related to elevator operation are stored within the machine room 12 of the elevator 1. Finally, a consulted person may be asked whether the elevator 1 may be correctly used and operated in accordance with specifications for example of the elevator manufacturer.

[0068] Accordingly, preferably those duties and tasks of an elevator guard which may hardly or not economically be implemented using sensors 19 or other technical means may be fulfilled by proactively involving consulted persons by asking them related questions and waiting for their answers. Upon receiving answers to the questions, the questioning device 21 may generate one or more second monitoring signals based on the answers.

[0069] Finally, an evaluation device 35 may generate an overall monitoring signal based on the first and second monitoring signals. Such evaluation device 35 may process or analyze signals from all sensors 19 based on the first monitoring signals as well process or analyze answers to questions of the questioning device 21 as represented by the second monitoring signals.

[0070] The evaluation device 35 may then forward the overall monitoring signal or a signal related thereto to a communication device. This communication device 37 may send corresponding signals to a remote recipient 39. The communication may be transmitted via hardwiring or wirelessly, preferably over a network connection 38, using internet or cloud services.

[0071] The remote recipient 39 typically is a machine which receives the signal emitted by the communication device 37. The remote recipient 39 may be configured for initiating suitable actions such as temporarily interrupting an operation of the elevator 1 until the elevator 1 has been suitably checked for example by maintenance staff. Alternatively and preferably, the remote recipient may 39 be a receiver which directly informs a responsible person such that the person or mandated person may go and visit the elevator 1 and perform e.g. an on-site check of the elevator 1.

[0072] FIG. 2 shows an example of a questioning device 21 for an embodiment of the electronic elevator guard device 3.

[0073] The questioning device 21 comprises a touchscreen 24 forming the human machine interface 23. On the touchscreen 24, a question 47 may be displayed to a consulted person. Preferably, the question 47 should be formulated such that it can be answered simply by Yes or No. Accordingly, the touchscreen 24 may have corresponding Yes/No areas which may be pushed by the consulted person for entering an answer to the question 47.

[0074] Alternatively or additionally, the questioning device 21 may comprise a speaker-microphone arrangement 42 comprising a speaker 41 and a microphone 43. The speaker 41 may be either used for emitting an acoustical signal for example for attracting the consulted person's attention. Alternatively, one of the questions may be output as spoken language via the speaker 41. The addressed person may then give his answer either by pushing one of the Yes/No areas on the touchscreen 24 or by answering in spoken language to be detected by the microphone 43.

[0075] The touchscreen 24 and/or the speaker-microphone arrangement 42 are connected to a data processing unit 45. This data processing unit 45, on the one hand, may comprise memory in which the questions 47 are stored. On the other hand, the data processing unit 45 may process the answers forwarded by the touchscreen 24 and/or by the microphone 43 in order to generate the second monitoring signal therefrom. This second monitoring signal or a signal related thereto may then be issued for example via an interface 49 connected to the communication device 37 such that a corresponding signal may finally be sent to the remote recipient 39.

[0076] The questioning device 21 may be a unitary device which may be installed for example in a waiting area 31 next to a floor door 15 or in an interior space 33 of the elevator car 5.

[0077] Alternatively, the questioning device 21 may comprise two or more separate devices wherein one device is for example integrated into the elevator 1 and another device may be separate therefrom and may be for example a handheld device such as a smart mobile phone or a portable computer of a consulted person. In such case, the questioning device 21 may for example send an SMS or a push-message to the portable device and the consulted person may enter his answer into his portable device using for example a touchscreen of this portable device as the human machine interface 23. For example, a specific App may be installed on such portable device for suitable communication with the elevator-based part of the questioning device 21.

[0078] Using the electronic elevator guard device 3, integrity states of a plurality of elevator features may be monitored partly automatically using sensors 19 and partly using the assistance of consulted persons answering to questions issued by the questioning device 21. Overall, using such guard device 3, repeated monitoring of the elevator 1 by specific human elevator guard may be dispensable such that significant efforts and costs may be saved.

[0079] Finally, it should be noted that the term comprising does not exclude other elements or steps and the a or an does not exclude a plurality. Also, elements described in association with different embodiments may be combined.

[0080] In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the present invention has been described in what is considered to represent its preferred embodiment. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0081] 1 elevator [0082] 3 electronic elevator guard device [0083] 5 elevator car [0084] 7 counterweight [0085] 8 elevator shaft [0086] 9 suspension traction members [0087] 11 drive engine [0088] 12 engine room [0089] 13 car door [0090] 15 floor door [0091] 17 elevator control [0092] 19 sensors [0093] 21 questioning device [0094] 23 human machine interface [0095] 24 touchscreen [0096] 25 door switch [0097] 27 location sensors [0098] 29 car door switch [0099] 31 waiting area at floor [0100] 33 interior space in elevator car [0101] 35 evaluation device [0102] 37 communication device [0103] 38 network connection [0104] 39 remote recipient [0105] 41 speaker [0106] 42 speaker-microphone arrangement [0107] 43 microphone [0108] 45 data processing unit [0109] 47 question [0110] 49 interface